Name: Recipe for Zucchini Pesto Pasta
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Yield: 10 (1½ cup) servings
Cuisine: Entrees
Ingredients: 4 kale, packed; 2 fresh basil, packed; 1/3 olive oil; 1 garlic, minced; 1/4 vegan parmesan cheese, grated; 2 lemon juice; 1/4 salt; 1/4 black pepper; 4 large Roma tomatoes, quartered; 1/2 kosher salt, divided; 1/4 red crushed pepper, divided; 1/4 chili flakes, divided; 1 whole wheat penne pasta; 1 zucchini squash, spiralized; 1 yellow onion, diced; 1/4 fresh garlic, minced; 2 olive oil

Mound of zucchini spiral pasta on white surface

Entrees Tasty Spirals of Fun

This dish is a perfect way to use fresh kale, zucchini, and tomatoes that grow abundantly in the summer. Mixing kale with the basil in the pesto doesn’t alter that traditional pesto flavor, but it does add an additional burst of nutrients.

Zucchini Pesto Pasta

Recipe courtesy of

Chef Edwin Cabrera

Prep Instructions

Yield: 10 (1½ cup) servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Recipe Ingredients

4 cups kale, packed
2 cups fresh basil, packed
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1/4 cup vegan parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 large Roma tomatoes, quartered
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon red crushed pepper, divided
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes, divided
1 pound whole wheat penne pasta
1 pound zucchini squash, spiralized
1 cup yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup fresh garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil

Prepare the kale pesto by placing all ingredients in a food processor and blending to a paste; set aside.
Season tomatoes with some of the salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Add some olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and roast at 350°F for 15–25 minutes.
Cook pasta following the package instructions. While pasta is cooking, spiralize the zucchini or cut it into julienne; set aside.
In a large pan, sauté the onions and garlic with the olive oil. Add the zucchini and season with the remaining spices. Fold in the cooked pasta and roasted tomatoes. Add liquid if the mixture is getting dry. Fold in the pesto and enjoy.